House Bill To Draft ALL America's Young People Pending

Link: www.theorator.com...

108th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 163
To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in
the United States, including women, perform a period of military service
or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense
and homeland security, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 7, 2003
Mr. RANGEL (for himself, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. LEWIS of
Georgia, Mr. STARK, and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in
the United States, including women, perform a period of military service
or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense
and homeland security, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act may be cited as the `Universal National
Service Act of 2003'.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS- The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. National service obligation.
Sec. 3. Two-year period of national service.
Sec. 4. Implementation by the President.
Sec. 5. Induction.
Sec. 6. Deferments and postponements.
Sec. 7. Induction exemptions.
Sec. 8. Conscientious objection.
Sec. 9. Discharge following national service.
Sec. 10. Registration of females under the Military Selective Service
Act.
Sec. 11. Relation of Act to registration and induction authority of
Military Selective Service Act.
Sec. 12. Definitions.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL SERVICE OBLIGATION.
(a) OBLIGATION FOR YOUNG PERSONS- It is the obligation of every citizen
of the United States, and every other person residing in the United
States, who is between the ages of 18 and 26 to perform a period of
national service as prescribed in this Act unless exempted under the
provisions of this Act.
(b) FORM OF NATIONAL SERVICE- National service under this Act shall be
performed either--
(1) as a member of an active or reverse component of the uniformed
services; or
(2) in a civilian capacity that, as determined by the President,
promotes the national defense, including national or community service
and homeland security.
(c) INDUCTION REQUIREMENTS- The President shall provide for the
induction of persons covered by subsection (a) to perform national
service under this Act.
(d) SELECTION FOR MILITARY SERVICE- Based upon the needs of the
uniformed services, the President shall--
(1) determine the number of persons covered by subsection (a) whose
service is to be performed as a member of an active or reverse component
of the uniformed services; and
(2) select the individuals among those persons who are to be inducted
for military service under this Act.
(e) CIVILIAN SERVICE- Persons covered by subsection (a) who are not
selected for military service under subsection (d) shall perform their
national service obligation under this Act in a civilian capacity
pursuant to subsection (b)(2).
SEC. 3. TWO-YEAR PERIOD OF NATIONAL SERVICE.
(a) GENERAL RULE- Except as otherwise provided in this section, the
period of national service performed by a person under this Act shall be
two years.
(b) GROUNDS FOR EXTENSION- At the discretion of the President, the
period of military service for a member of the uniformed services under
this Act may be extended--
(1) with the consent of the member, for the purpose of furnishing
hospitalization, medical, or surgical care for injury or illness
incurred in line of duty; or
(2) for the purpose of requiring the member to compensate for any time
lost to training for any cause.
(c) EARLY TERMINATION- The period of national service for a person under
this Act shall be terminated before the end of such period under the
following circumstances:
(1) The voluntary enlistment and active service of the person in an
active or reverse component of the uniformed services for a period of at
least two years, in which case the period of basic military training and
education actually served by the person shall be counted toward the term
of enlistment.
(2) The admission and service of the person as a cadet or midshipman at
the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the
United States Air Force Academy, the Coast Guard Academy, or the United
States Merchant Marine Academy.
(3) The enrollment and service of the person in an officer candidate
program, if the person has signed an agreement to accept a Reserve
commission in the appropriate service with an obligation to serve
on active duty if such a commission is offered upon completion of the
program.
(4) Such other grounds as the President may establish.
SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION BY THE PRESIDENT.
(a) IN GENERAL- The President shall prescribe such regulations as are
necessary to carry out this Act.
(b) MATTER TO BE COVERED BY REGULATIONS- Such regulations shall include
specification of the following:
(1) The types of civilian service that may be performed for a person's
national service obligation under this Act.
(2) Standards for satisfactory performance of civilian service and of
penalties for failure to perform civilian service satisfactorily.
(3) The manner in which persons shall be selected for induction under
this Act, including the manner in which those selected will be notified
of such selection.
(4) All other administrative matters in connection with the induction of
persons under this Act and the registration, examination, and
classification of such persons.
(5) A means to determine questions or claims with respect to inclusion
for, or exemption or deferment from induction under this Act, including
questions of conscientious objection.
(6) Standards for compensation and benefits for persons performing their
national service obligation under this Act through civilian service.
(7) Such other matters as the President determines necessary to carry
out this Act.
(c) USE OF PRIOR ACT- To the extent determined appropriate by the
President, the President may use for purposes of this Act the procedures
provided in the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et
seq.), including procedures for registration, selection, and induction.
SEC. 5. INDUCTION.
(a) IN GENERAL- Every person subject to induction for national service
under this Act, except those whose training is deferred or postponed in
accordance with this Act, shall be called and inducted by the President
for such service at the time and place specified by the President.
(b) AGE LIMITS- A person may be inducted under this Act only if the
person has attained the age of 18 and has not attained the age of 26.
(c) VOLUNTARY INDUCTION- A person subject to induction under this Act
may volunteer for induction at a time other than the time at which the
person is otherwise called for induction.
(d) EXAMINATION; CLASSIFICATION- Every person subject to induction under
this Act shall, before induction, be physically and mentally examined
and shall be classified as to fitness to perform national service. The
President may apply different classification standards for fitness for
military service and fitness for civilian service.
SEC. 6. DEFERMENTS AND POSTPONEMENTS.
(a) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS- A person who is pursuing a standard course of
study, on a full-time basis, in a secondary school or similar
institution of learning shall be entitled to have induction under this
Act postponed until the person--
(1) obtains a high school diploma;
(2) ceases to pursue satisfactorily such course of study; or
(3) attains the age of 20.
(b) HARDSHIP AND DISABILITY- Deferments from national service under this
Act may be made for--
(1) extreme hardship; or
(2) physical or mental disability.
(c) TRAINING CAPACITY- The President may postpone or suspend the
induction of persons for military service under this Act as necessary to
limit the number of persons receiving basic military training and
education to the maximum number that can be adequately trained.
(d) TERMINATION- No deferment or postponement of induction under this
Act shall continue after the cause of such deferment or postponement
ceases.
SEC. 7. INDUCTION EXEMPTIONS.
(a) QUALIFICATIONS- No person may be inducted for military service under
this Act unless the person is acceptable to the Secretary concerned for
training and meets the same health and physical qualifications
applicable under section 505 of title 10, United States Code, to persons
seeking original enlistment in a regular component of the Armed Forces.
(b) OTHER MILITARY SERVICE- No person shall be liable for induction
under this Act who--
(1) is serving, or has served honorably for at least six months, in any
component of the uniformed services on active duty; or
(2) is or becomes a cadet or midshipman at the United States Military
Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force
Academy, the Coast Guard Academy, the United States
Merchant Marine Academy, a midshipman of a Navy accredited State
maritime academy, a member of the Senior Reserve Officers' Training
Corps, or the naval aviation college program, so long as that person
satisfactorily continues in and completes two years training therein.
SEC. 8. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION.
(a) CLAIMS AS CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR- Any person selected under this Act
for induction into the uniformed services who claims, because of
religious training and belief (as defined in section 6(j) of the
Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 456(j))), exemption from
combatant training included as part of that military service and whose
claim is sustained under such procedures as the President may prescribe,
shall, when inducted, participate in military service that does not
include any combatant training component.
(b) TRANSFER TO CIVILIAN SERVICE- Any such person whose claim is
sustained may, at the discretion of the President, be transferred to a
national service program for performance of such person's national
service obligation under this Act.
SEC. 9. DISCHARGE FOLLOWING NATIONAL SERVICE.
(a) DISCHARGE- Upon completion or termination of the obligation to
perform national service under this Act, a person shall be discharged
from the uniformed services or from civilian service, as the case may
be, and shall not be subject to any further service under this Act.
(b) COORDINATION WITH OTHER AUTHORITIES- Nothing in this section shall
limit or prohibit the call to active service in the uniformed services
of any person who is a member of a regular or reserve component of the
uniformed services.
SEC. 10. REGISTRATION OF FEMALES UNDER THE MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE
ACT.
(a) REGISTRATION REQUIRED- Section 3(a) of the Military Selective
Service Act (50 U.S.C. 453(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking `male� both places it appears;
(2) by inserting `or herself� after `himself�; and
(3) by striking `he� and inserting `the person�.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 16(a) of the Military Selective
Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 466(a)) is amended by striking `men� and
inserting `persons�.
SEC. 11. RELATION OF ACT TO REGISTRATION AND INDUCTION AUTHORITY OF
MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT.
(a) REGISTRATION- Section 4 of the Military Selective Service Act (50
U.S.C. App. 454) is amended by inserting after subsection (g) the
following new subsection:
`(h) This section does not apply with respect to the induction of
persons into the Armed Forces pursuant to the Universal National Service
Act of 2003.�.
(b) INDUCTION- Section 17(c) of the Military Selective Service Act (50
U.S.C. App. 467(c)) is amended by striking `now or hereafter� and all
that follows through the period at the end and inserting `inducted
pursuant to the Universal National Service Act of 2003.�.
SEC. 12. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term `military service� means service performed as a member of
an active or reverse component of the uniformed services.
(2) The term `Secretary concerned� means the Secretary of Defense with
respect to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, the Secretary of
Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard, the Secretary of
Commerce, with respect to matters concerning the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, with respect to matters concerning the Public Health Service.
(3) The term `United States�, when used in a geographical sense, means
the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands, and Guam.
(4) The term `uniformed services� means the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marine Corps, Coast Guard, commissioned corps of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, and commissioned corps of the Public
Health Service.
END

Now we wait and see if they actually implement it,and why..????.
And hope that it sparks the 2nd Revolutionary war of the US,which doesn't seem to be so terribly far off.
The fact that it isn't so far off is not missed by the powerboys,that's waht the PATRIOT/VICTORY Act will be used for when the time comes.
The Ship is Listing Badly.

Im glad im in the UK, but if this goes through im america mabye it wont be long until it happens over here

The day this thing gets passed is the day the revolution starts, guaranteed.

I seldom post any more, due to the contentious and utterly ridiculous postings on the board lately, but felt this needed to be addressed. Read the full text of the proposed legislation. Mr. Rangel has no more expectation that this will pass than he has of himself turning into a coherent Republican. It was specifically aimed at congressional leaders who supported the war on Iraq. His erroneous thinking is that if everyone's child could be drafted (which they can anyway if the draft is reinstituted), there would be no more war. Sorry, doesn't wash, won't happen, and the bill will never pass, let alone come to the floor for a vote.

[Edited on 20-10-2003 by Affirmative Reaction]

Check this out. It includes a commentary that the bill probably won't get passed.

www.rense.com...

The day this thing gets passed is the day the revolution starts, guaranteed.

This is silly. So what you are sating is that if a draft were instituted the youth of the nation would fight the nation that protects them but not fight FOr the nation the protects them. This seems odd.

No, what I'm stating is that if this were to pass, the over half of the country that opposed the war in Iraq plus the youth of the nation would probably try to strike. If nothing else, I could see Black Bloc raising some hell.

I'd remind everyone that the Brooking's Institute recently agreed with Rangel.

Rangel said Republican lawmakers have privately expressed support for a draft but would not advocate it now because of fear of undermining the president.

Michael O�Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said he does not think the Democrats� support for the draft was politically motivated.

�I would acknowledge that there is a big problem with reserve operational tempo,� he said. �I do share the worries that motivate the congressmen about the draft.�

www.hillnews.com...

Granted, Bush doesn't have the political capital to make this bill move.
But with the bill being sponsored by a democrat and endorsed by a conservative think-tank, it makes it much easier to talk about the draft being an option. And if there's another conflict/incident, I would expect debate to hit the floor.

If that passes the hippies will return in full force and, I will be in a living Hell because of them.

I would work for the government or something but by THC levels in my blood in urine will disqualify me from any of those jobs. I hope that does not mean they are going to make me go to the battlefield.

Also I might have overlooked it but it does not look like college students are exempt.

A draft would divide the country, I would bet if this bill passes they wont call it a draft but have some other name for it so it wont create an immediate outrage by those opposing the Iraq situation

[Edited on 20-10-2003 by jrod]

[Edited on 20-10-2003 by jrod]

They are going to call it-
"National compulsive military service"
Just like they call it everywhere else.

A draft is unecessary... I, as well as probably many countless millions in this country would fight. Free volunteers fight much better then conscripts.

Besides, when nobody is standing up and freely fighting for their country, you know it's time to leave.

Energy_wave, does the site you quoted that HR from get their information from an official Congressional source?

Look carefully at the following selection in Section 2 paragraph a:

(1) as a member of an active or reverse component of the uniformed
services; or

The bold is for emphasis of course... and I must raise the question of when the two components of the Uniformed Services changed from Active and RESERVES to active and REVERSE?

Update: Congress' own website quotes it the same way.
thomas.loc.gov...:H.R.163:

[Edited on 10-21-2003 by Djarums]

They allowed 911 for political gain.

The track they've put us on is guranteed to bring further conflicts.

Our military is active, concurrently, in several theaters.

It's been widely reported that re upping for reserves and active duty is way down & projected to be even worse.

What else is left but to have a draft?
What is the only thing that could possibly drive the numbers to where they need to be? An 'attack' on American soil that would be much worse than 911. Look to have something populated, but expendable, go radioactive on the American continent - say in Nevada perhaps.

The conflicts are designed to escalate, it's all about maintaining control of the US Gov., and defacto, the world.

All I've got to say is that if you are opposed to serving in our military then GET THE HELL OUT.

Oh don't worry, I do intend on leaving this sorry country. Only problem is, instead of being subject to America's domestic policy, I'll become subject to America's foreign policy. Hard telling which one sucks more.

I am not opposed to serving in the military, I am opposed to idiots telling me what to do. Isn't that a big thing in the military is to alway do what your superiors tell you. There are some idiots in charge of military opperations.

its about time somethign like this came up. i fully support it. its a good idea. everyone should do at least 2 years of military service.

I think its a good bill but not for everyone. I think they should make everyone who drops outta hs go to the military. I mean it happens anyway lol just force em might keep em in school.